COVID-19 pandemic fears and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adolescents with pre-existing mental disorders: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Previous research has established an association between pandemic fears and the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms mainly in the general population. Aim: To explore whether COVID-19 pandemic fears are associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms and vice versa in adolescents with preexisting mental and behavioural disorders. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study among adolescents with pre-existing mental disorders. The extent of worrying related to the COVID-19 pandemic was measured using the COVID-19 inventory whereas obsessive-compulsive symptoms were assessed using the obsessive-compulsive inventory-revised (OCI-R). Pearson correlation coefficient ( r) was used to explore the relationship between COVID-19 pandemic fears and the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Results: A total of 57 patients out of 63 participants (90.4%) had a COVID-19 inventory score of 12 or higher suggesting that a vast majority of young people with mental disorders had significant pandemic-related worries. Out of these 57 patients, over half (31) had an OCI-R modified score of 17 or higher indicating significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms. A positive correlation was found between the means of the two scores. This relationship was statistically significant – { r = 0.405, Sig. (two-tailed) = 0.001}. Conclusion: Adolescents with mental disorders can exhibit significant pandemic fears and this is likely to be associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.